The Correction in the Episode
by twilitbones
Summary: Based on episode 6x13. What I believe would have happened if the episode continued.
1. If Only

The Correction in The Episode

He responded with the one thing she never expected him to say, " Okay this is how this gonna work, me and you are partners, that's what we do, we're partners, and I love that. I think that's great, and we're good people, who catch bad people right, and we argue and we go back and forth, we're partners, and sometimes after we solve a case, we come here and we celebrate that's what we do. We celebrate. So as far as I can see that is what happens next, are you okay with that? Great, because if you are tell you what, you stay here and you have a drink with me, alright maybe we have a little small talk, chit-chat, and if you're not, well you can leave... There's the door, and tomorrow I'll find you a new FBI guy."

"Those are my only choices?" she asked, a little bit astonished with his choices.

"Yeah, those are your only choices."

"Then I'll have a drink."

Brennan stayed; she knew she couldn't leave him, after all, she felt partly responsible for the situation. If only, she had said yes to him a year ago, they would be together and he wouldn't be so unhappy. If only, she was able to express her feelings for him. If only she told him she loved him, he would be happy now, right? Therefore, Brennan stayed.

One drink turned into two, and two drinks turned into three, soon it was six, never mind how many he had before she arrived. She knew he was approaching alcohol poisoning levels, so she tried to get him to leave, but the drunker he became, the harder it was to get him to leave. Finally, after her eighth shot and who knows how many for him, she got him into a cab and brought him home. On the way home, she had the cab stop at an all night store, so she could get some things for morning, after all he drank he would need something.

They went to her place, because she thought he would rather wake up there. There were no signs of Hannah there. The emptiness of his place would be difficult for him.

She knew they weren't going to work tomorrow, Cam would understand, and she would call him in sick in the morning. She dragged him into her place; he didn't even fight it, and brought him to her guest bedroom. She took off his shoes, orange, and purple socks, then his pants. That had been difficult. She remembered the time she undressed him at the lab, and the compromising position she was in when Cam walked into the room. She took off his shirt, admiring his smooth, firm, sternum, and his broad scapula, knowing she could have had him and admired him if only…

She pulled the blankets over him and went to walk out of the room.

"Bones?"

She quickly turned to him; she thought he was incapable of coherent speech.

"Yes" her heart skipped a beat.

"Thank-you, I knew you would come, you always come." and he passed out.

She left the room and thought if only I had come to you a year ago, if only…

She made herself a cup of the herbal tea she purchased on the way home. Maybe it would prevent the hangover, and went to bed, alone.

If only…


	2. A New Day

**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine.**

A New Day

The sun came up whether or not she wanted it to. She checked on him, but he was still sleeping. She went into the kitchen to make him some tea and try to sort out what she was feeling. She knew she still loved him, but she also knew he had to heal. Booth was in a serious relationship with Hannah, and she knew he couldn't go from one relationship to another, she knew it would take time.

Booth would never begin a relationship with her on the rebound from Hannah. However, she was concerned about what he said last night. Was that the alcohol talking, or was it the truth? Has Booth been hurt so badly by past relationships that he didn't want to try anymore? Did their moment pass? Maybe Rebecca was right, everyone had a moment, and she had lost hers. If only… she heard him coming out of the room, and all those thoughts left her mind. Right now, he needed her, and she would help him in any way she could, no matter how painful it was.

"Bones, what am I doing here? Why didn't you bring me home, where's my clothes, and why didn't you wake me for work? Never mind the last one I don't think I could go. Wow, what happened last night? I feel terrible, and why is it so bright in here, don't you have blinds? Turn off all these lights."

"Well, after being out until 3:00 am and being very close to having a blood alcohol level near 0.29 it is no wonder you feel terrible, here drink this." She pushed the cup of tea near him.

"What is this, it smells awful, I'm not drinking this." He pushed it away.

"Booth it will help the hangover. Drink it." She pushed it back.

He drank. "That is awful, I was right. Are you trying to poison me?"

"Drink, it will help." He drank it."Now, go take a shower, I laid out some clothes that –you had left over here a while back, and there towels in the bathroom. I'll see you in a little while."

He left, boy she was bossy today. What happened last night, the last thing he remembered was Bones coming to the bar, does she know about Hannah? What did he do? He hoped nothing happened between them, because he didn't want her to be second best. She never could be second best; she was the standard that all women were measured against. He started the shower.

After he got out of the shower, he went to put on his clothes and they smelled like her. He liked that smell, wait how did he get here?

"Bones, ok I drank the tea, I took a shower, now I need answers. Wow, I do feel better what type of tea is that."

" It's a special herbal blend that I mix myself, I got the idea from a tribe in West Africa called the Fulani, who use various herb and plants to create their own medicines. Most of them are quite effective."

"Ok, Bones, tell me what happened."

"Where do you want me to start." She hoped he didn't remember the choices he gave her. I remember Hannah, going to the bar, and you showing up. That's about it.

"Well, you were quite drunk when I showed up, and you gave me an ultimatum that I had to be your partner and have a drink with you or leave and you would find me another FBI guy."

Booth looked at her with a shocked look on his face. "Did I really say that?"

"Yes, so I had a drink with you because I couldn't leave you, and I will never work with anyone except you."

"Wait, I gave you an ultimatum and you just took it and stayed? You didn't argue or anything."

"Booth, I knew you were hurt and I couldn't leave. We had quite a few drinks after that and got very drunk, and then I took you home. I brought you here, because I didn't want you to be reminded of Hannah when you awoke with a hangover. "

"Both of their phones rang at the same time. "OH, no, we got a case" they said simultaneously." They picked up their phones.

"Brennan."

"Booth."

"We got a case, let's go Bones." He placed his hand on the small of her back and they walked out the door.

"Wow, that stuff was great, I feel great. Thanks Bones." And the door closed behind them, as they looked outside and noticed neither one of them had a car.


	3. The Keeping of the Crainium

**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine.**

The Keeping of the Cranium

"Bones where's my car? As a matter of fact, where's your car?"

"Tony said I could leave them at "The Founding Fathers" we were too drunk to drive."

"You left my car at a bar?"

"Booth, you couldn't even walk, I had to practically carry you out."

"We better call a cab, and go get them."

They finally arrived at the crime scene in Booth's SUV. They are still arguing as they get out of the car.

"We will go pick your car after we leave here, ok? Stop worrying, we don't need two cars right now. My car was a better idea; we always take my car. What is that smell? "

"We are at the dump, Booth."

"Why do we have to get the smelly ones, after drinking so much last night?"

"The cases we get don't depend on your activities of the night before. Perhaps if you didn't get so drunk, you wouldn't see the need to blame the victim."

"Ok, just stop, tell me what happened."

"I thought you two took the day off." Cam said.

"Case always wins day off." Booth replied.

"Were you together."  
"No"

"No"

"Ok, now let's get this done people. Dr. Brennan, Booth, the young man over there found the body as he was moving this pile to another location for burial."

"Ok, well it's male, approximately 40 years old. Where's the head?"

"Were still looking."

"Looks like, he was dead for about two weeks."

"I'm going to need everything brought back to the Jeffersonian, make sure to get samples of the whole area for Hodgins."

"Hodgins is here."

"Good he can decide what he needs for samples, and find the head." She yelled behind her as she walked away.

Booth you ready to go?"

"Yeah, Bones."

"Good, because I want my car."

They returned to their respective homes to change and then she went to the Jeffersonian.

"Daisy, what have you found?"

"Dr. Brennan I thought you had the day off?"

"We have a case Daisy, no one get the day off when we have a case. Besides, I'm the most qualified to process the remains."

She came to the body, which was on the table.

"Information, Daisy."

"Yes, I found glass imbedded in the victims shoulders and most of the upper body, the legs are broken at the patella, as well as the arms and most of the ribs."

"Did you find cause of death?"

"Maybe because he's missing his head?"

"Miss Wick, you know better than to determine cause of death based on a missing body part, besides they will bring the head as soon as possible."

"Yes, Dr. Brennan. I will continue to look for cause of death."

"Good I will be in my office."

Bones left the platform and went into her office. Her head was still spinning from the night before, and it had nothing to do with amount of alcohol she drank. She wondered what she should do about Booth. Should she carry on as if he didn't say those things to her, or should she discuss them with him? It bothered her that he could just brush her aside after he knew how she felt. She told him after the case involving the doctor that she cared, did he forget? She was abruptly brought out of her thoughts.

"Bones, what do you got for me?"

"Nothing yet, we don't have a head, so Angela can't start a reconstruction."

"Yeah, the forensics lab is still looking; do you think the murderer kept it?"

"Booth I still don't know if it was a murder. We haven't determined cause of death."

"Dr. B., oh, hi Booth, sorry about Hannah, that sucks dude."

"I don't want to discuss that."

"Yeah, right."

Dr. B. I think a car may have hit him. The particulates that Daisy found in the body are glass from a windshield of a car, and there are some paint specks from the victim's knees. I'm running an analysis on the pieces now; I should be able to determine make and model in about an hour. I thought you took the day off?"

"Why does everybody keep saying that, we have a case that means we all work? Get it?"

"Ok, no need to get snippy"

"I don't know what that means."

"Bones it means to yell at people for no reason."

"Well I'm tired of being asked why I'm in work today, everyone should know that I work when we have a case, when have I not worked when we have a case?"

"Um, I'm going to check the mass spectrometer." He left.

"Bones what's wrong? You are very short with everyone today."

"I am the same height I was yesterday."

"No, I meant that you seem angry."

"I didn't have the best night and maybe it is showing up at work. I will try to adjust my behavior accordingly."

"Bones, I didn't either, but I'm not yelling at everyone today. Did you have some of that tea? Maybe that will help. It's great."

"Booth, I'm not hung-over, and I already had two cups of tea. There are other things I'm thinking about."

"Like what?"

"I have to go check on Miss Wick. I will call you when we have any information."

Brennan left a very shocked Booth standing in her office, and went back to the platform. She didn't need him analyzing her behavior. He was the one who only wanted to be partners. Well if they were only partners, then she wouldn't talk about anything but the case with him. That's what partners did. She would compartmentalize her feeling and handle this like the partnership that he wanted, but she knew it would be hard to do. She still loved him, and she wished he would realize that.

Booth walked out of her office and left the building. He missed Hannah. Now that he was sober and ready to think about all that had transpired, he knew she had told him she was not the marrying kind. He knew it all along. However, he also knew he wanted a family, and children, and he would never do it the way he did with Parker. He loved Parker more than anything, but a child should have two parents who were married and living under the same roof. No, he would never do that again.

He wished he could remember what happened last night. He woke up in his boxers, and nothing else, but he was alone in bed, so that means he didn't sleep with her, right? He didn't know what he would do if he slept with Bones on the rebound from Hannah. Was that why she was so hostile today?

Was she upset, because he didn't acknowledge their sexual encounter? What should he do? He didn't want to ask her, that would be devastating. After all his talk about making love and crappy sex, he knew he couldn't ask her. He would go ask Sweets, besides it was his fault that he was in this mess, he was the one who goaded him into getting married. He never would have done it otherwise. He headed over to see Sweets; they needed to get this out in the open. He was not some lab rat that Sweets could play with like a toy. Sweets has been experimenting with them for years and it was going to stop, Now!


	4. Sweets

**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine.**

Sweets

Booth charged through Sweet's door, startling him and making him jump out of his seat.

"Booth, what's wrong?"

"You, that's what's wrong, I am so tired of you playing me for a fool. You and your experiments are going to stop now, do you hear me?"  
"What are you talking about? Please close the door and sit down." He pointed to the couch.

Booth closed the door, but continued to yell, "I'm not sitting down, and don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about, you goaded me into proposing to Hannah, so you could watch the reaction between Bones and I. I know it and you know it, so don't deny it any more. You and your surrogate relationship theory can go to hell. I am so tired of you ruining my life just so you can play your little psychology games." He sat down, and put his face between his hands. "You have to stop this or I'm going to lose it, and you are going to be the one who has to pick up the pieces."

Sweets looked at the dejected man sitting in front of him. "What happened last night Booth?"

"Hannah turned me down. She said she's not the marrying kind."

"Did you know that?"

"Well, yeah, but she followed me here, and she said she loved me. I always thought marriage was the next step. Besides, at the bar you told me that you didn't want to be my age and end up like me. You said my life was sad. I just want a normal life with a wife and kids, I love Parker, but I want more, I'd like a little girl, maybe even more than one. "

"Booth, if you knew that Hannah didn't want marriage, why did you pursue the relationship, if that's the scenario you want in life? If Hannah didn't want marriage, why did you ask her?"

"Because you made me." his voice was starting to rise again.

"Whoa, wait a minute I didn't make you propose to Hannah, you did that all on your own."

"Yeah, but you started the whole thing. You made me do it by making me feel like a looser for not being married."

"But you made that decision on your own, Booth no one could make you do something you don't want to do, your morals are too strong. You are not a weak personality that can be manipulated into doing something you don't want to do."

"But, you said…"

Booth hung his head he knew Sweets was right.

"I can't make any relationship work. I can't find someone to love me. First Rebecca, then Bones. Wait a minute, that was your idea too. Why is it every time I get my heart broken you're there on the sidelines." He voice was starting to rise again. "You said I was the gambler and I had to take that step, and look where that one led, to her running away to the Mapoopoo islands and me in the military again. That was a whole lot of fun, and once again, there you were. It's always you who puts these thoughts in my head, and then you sit back and watch the reaction. Well did you write that little disaster in your book? Did you enjoy watching what happened to everyone that time, because that little comment affected many lives. Like the men that were lost over there on my watch. Yeah, did that experiment go the way you wanted? I didn't need any more deaths on my conscience, but you stuck me into the situation and look what happened. Wow, you are a disaster for a psychologist. Everything you do works out wrong."

"Booth, it's the same thing I said before, you could never be talked into making those decisions, that is not who you are. You need to look inside yourself and find out why you're making these life-changing decisions all the time. Besides Dr. Brennan told you she felt the same way you did."

"Oh yeah, after I was with Hannah, that was a little too late."

"How much time did you give Dr. Brennan to respond to your request? Moreover, how did you word it? Have you ever known Dr. Brennan to make a decision of the heart quickly? She denies her feeling all the time, and you expect her to just say, oh yeah Booth sure I'll be with you, at the drop of a hat? Considering her emotional distance, a year is about the right amount of time for her to respond. It seems to me that you are rushing into these situations without considering the consequences."

Booth's phone rang.

"That's Bones I have to go." He left without another word.


	5. Searching for Answers

**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine.**

**This is a short chapter, so I posted it quickly. Enjoy**

Searching for Answers

Booth used his old phone trick to get out of Sweets office. He knew he needed to sort this out by himself. Sometimes Sweets helps, but usually he just needed to think, besides his headache was coming back, and he needed some sleep. He went home and crashed for the night.

Bones was surprised the she hadn't seen Booth the rest of the day. She wondered if he went home early. She told the interns to clean the bones, now that they had collected all the evidence they needed, and went home. She was going to bed early, so she could get some sleep, she knew she needed it.

Brennan came out of her office, and bumped into Hodgins.

"Hey, Dr. B I got the type of car. It was a 2000 Ford Focus, black." Hodgins said as he followed her to the platform. "I also found particulates from a rare type of paving stone that is manufactured in Boston, Massachusetts. The only place that sells it here is a store in Fredericksburg, Virginia."

Daisy came running up to them. "Dr. Brennan I found a metal plate in the victim's leg from a break he had when he was ten years old. It has a serial number on it and I notified Angela, she is looking for the owner."

"Daisy, don't run in the lab." Yelled Brennan.

Angela walked up. "Got it, his name is Mark Churchill, but I didn't find an address yet, his parents are deceased and there is no record of a forwarding address. His parents died in a car accident when he was fifteen, and he was in the foster care system until he was eighteen. The last known address is 24 Haverhill Drive Arlington Virginia."

Booth walked onto the platform, "Ok, what do you got for me?"

"Let's go I'll tell you on the way."

Booth was quiet on the drive to Virginia, he kept thinking about what Sweets said, about him not giving Bones enough time to process his questions last year. He wondered if he had waited for her maybe, none of this would have happened. Should he have given her more time? Was all this his fault? He wanted to ask her if he had waited would she have come around, but he didn't know how to ask. If he only waited maybe he would be with Bones now, and his heart would not be hurting so badly.

"So Bones, let's say we start with the paver, then go visit the family of that kid. Are you going to be ok with visiting his foster parents? I know that type of situation can be a difficult for you."

"No, I will be fine Booth."

"Bones, what's wrong? You seem so distant today, and you're yelling at the interns. Even Jack noticed it. Did anything happen the other night that you want to talk about?"

"No. I don't want to talk about it. Can we just get this case solved?"

"Yeah, Bones let's go." He said as they got out of the car.

They talked to the paver, and he gave them a list of all their clients who purchased those types of paving blocks during the past three years. The victim's name wasn't on the list. Next, they went to see the foster parents who raised Mark for the year, before he turned eighteen.

Booth knocked on the door.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. I'm FBI agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner Dr, Temperance Brennan, may we come in?"

"Yes, sure, how can we help you?"

"We are here about your former foster son, Mark Churchill." Do you know where he is living?"

"No, we haven't heard from him in years. The last we spoke to him was just before he got married, that was ten years ago. Did he do something?" said Mr. Churchill.

"No, do you know if he broke his leg when he was younger?" asked Bones.

"That was way before he came to live with us. I think his parents were still alive when that happened. Why are you asking these questions, what happened?"

"Mark Churchill was found murdered yesterday."

Mrs. Johnson started to cry. "He was such a good kid, never gave us any trouble. We even let him stay after the system dropped him, because he wanted to go to college. Do you know what happened?"

"All we know is he may have been hit by a car."

"Mr. Johnson, did you say he was married?"

"Yes, we met his wife; she seemed like a quiet, nice girl. It was about ten years ago. Wait, I may still have the invitation."

Her husband laughed, "She keeps a scrapbook of all our foster children."

"When you go look do you think you can find any pictures of him?" Bones asked.

Booth whispered, "Why do you want pictures from when he was a kid?"

"Angela can age progress them so we can start looking for him."

Mrs. Johnson came back, "Here they are and this is the wedding invitation."

"He took his wife's name after the marriage, I forgot that. Her name was Annalise, McCarthy."

"Do you want the invitation?"

"If possible, we will send it back when we are done."

"Ok, thanks." Mrs. Johnson passed it to Brennan.

"Well it was nice meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, thank-you." Booth stood went to leave, but Bones turned back to them.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"How long have you been married?"

Mr. Johnson held his wife close, "Thirty-five years, and I love her more than the day I married her."

"Thank-you." Bones left.

"What the hell was that?" Booth yelled when they got to the car.

"They just looked so happy, he held her hand the whole time we were there, and he took her in his arms when she started to cry. That was the first time I've seen older people look like they were in love."

Booth just shook his head and got into the car.

They talked very little on the way back to the Jeffersonian. Booth kept thinking about what she said about that couple. She was right they did look like they were in love. It was as if they had only been married for a few years. How did anyone find that kind of love? Is it possible he could find that one day? He always believed in being married forever. When he finally got married, he knew it would be forever, but how did you find that one person. He looked at Bones sitting in the seat next to him. Could she be the one for him? Is that why he never could move on? Maybe someday, maybe someday.

Bones thought about Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and the love that she saw in their eyes. She wanted that feeling someday. Was it possible to be with someone for thirty, forty, or fifty years, like Booth said. With Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, it seemed very possible.


	6. Realization

**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine.**

Realization

As they got closer to the lab, Booth asked, "Do you want to have dinner, Bones?"

"No, not now I want to get back to the lab and see if we can find out who the victim is. Did you find the head yet?"

"No, it's not at the dump, I think the murderer still has it."

Booth dropped Bones at the lab, and she went in to talk to Angela.

"Hey, Ang, can you use these photos to age advance the victim, so we can get an accurate description?"

"Sure, let me see."

Angela scanned the photos into the computer and began to work on the program.

"Hey, Sweetie, what's wrong today? You're so irritable."

"It's nothing; it's been a long few days."

"Come on I know you better than that, what's really wrong, does it have to do with Studley?"

"He asked Hannah to marry him on Sunday." Brennan started to cry.

"Oh, Bren I'm so sorry. What happened, because I think there's more, than you're saying."

"She said no."  
"Yes, that's great!"

"Ang, Booth's hurt, you shouldn't be happy."

"Bren you know she wasn't right for him, only you are, and stop denying it. I know. Think of this as a good thing."

"But Ang, he must have loved her, if he proposed, right?"

"Look Sweetie, sometimes people do things without realizing it was the wrong thing, and then after their aware that they made a mistake, they try to correct it. I think Booth will realize his mistake and know it should have been you"

Brennan looked at her with hope, "Do you think so?"

Angela hugged her, "Yes, I do."

"But Ang, it's more than that. I went to the bar last night and he said he only wanted to be partners, and nothing more. He said if I don't want to be partners he will find me another FBI guy."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Sweetie, he's hurt, he will change his mind. Remember how you said it takes three days to adjust, just wait. Give him time."

Booth walked into the office.

"Hey Bones, I gave the list from the paving company to the FBI, and they are cross referencing it with the wedding information to see if they can get an address. We won't know until tomorrow, so I'm going home. Sure you don't want dinner?"

"No, Booth, I don't want dinner, Angela's going out with me."

"Ok, see you tomorrow, just be sure you eat ok?"

"Sure Booth, I'll eat."

He left.

"Sweetie, I need to go home, with my pregnancy, I'm too tired to go out. You want to come for dinner? Jack's cooking tonight"  
"No, Ang, I just said that to get rid of him. I'm going home, see you tomorrow."

"Ok, bye, and remember just give him time, he'll get it. Remember he's just a guy, he can't help being stupid."

Brennan laughed. "Ok, bye."

She went home.

What a day, she was exhausted. She had a light dinner and went to bed.

Booth drove home and entered an empty apartment again. He missed Hannah, but not as much as he thought, he would. Bones' indifference toward him hurt more. What did he do that night? He was never drinking again. He hated losing a part of his life. He sat in front of the television, but didn't really see anything. He thought of Bones again, he closed his eyes and tried to remember.

He remembered going to the bar. He remembered ordering drinks, and then he remembered Bones coming. She said Hannah called her. He told her about how Rebecca, her, and Hannah didn't want him, and then he said no one wanted him. He told her to drink, and he said he was mad at all women. Then he told her they were partners, just partners… oh no he rejected her at the one time she came to him to help him. He remembered the look on her face.

He remembered the time she told him how she felt, and wondered if she came last night, to comfort him, and he rejected her. He thought about what Sweets told him about her denying her emotions, how she takes a long time to understand them, and he rejected her. He ignored her when she came to him. He gave her an ultimatum and loving him wasn't part of it. No wonder she was so distant today. No wonder she wouldn't talk to him.

He thought about their talk a year ago, and how she said she didn't have an open heart, she was so wrong. He never would have stayed if the roles were reversed. He would have left. She had a bigger heart than he did at times. He couldn't believe she stayed after he said all those things to her, and she took him home, she cared for him, and helped him in the morning. Wow, he was such a loser. How would he ever fix this? How could he show her he cared? What should he do now?

Booth knew he had to restore their relationship. Losing Bones felt worse than losing Hannah. How can that be? His proposal just was rejected, and he was worried about his partner more than he was missing Hannah. He realized that he never moved on, he just denied his feelings for her so he could force himself to find someone who wanted him, and Hannah happened to be there. He did love Hannah, but he loved Bones more.


	7. Suspect

**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine.**

**For those of you who followed my other story, Remember Me? the sequel should be up tonight or tomorrow.**

Suspect

Booth got the phone call as he was driving to work and he detoured to the Jeffersonian instead. They found the victim's wife. He would pick up Bones and head over there.

"Bones, we found the wife, let's go."

"I'll be there in a minute."

"Let's go I want to talk to her, chop, chop."

As they were walking out the door of the Jeffersonian, he placed his hand on the small of her back, and it felt so right to both of them. Angela watched them leave and smiled.

"Bones, he took his wife's name, and he was a stay at home dad. He raised their two kids, so he didn't have an employment record. That's why it took so long to find him."

"Wow, he stayed home with the kids; that's unusual."

"Well she's an architect who works at a local firm downtown. That's where we are going to meet her."

They pulled up in front of the office building. He had called ahead, so the secretary let them go right in. she was on the phone. "I'll call you later, got to go. Bye." She hung up the phone.

"Hi, Mrs. McCarthy, I'm special agent Booth and this is my partner, Dr. Brennan."

"Hello, I only have a few minutes, what can I do for you?"

"Do you know a Mark McCarthy?"

"Yes, he's my husband. Why?"

"He's dead; we found his body on Tuesday morning."

"What, dead?" she sat down in at her desk.

"Yes, why didn't you file a missing person's report?"

"Well, we've been separated for about a month, and I didn't really notice."

"Didn't he take care of the children?" Bones asked.

"Yes, but I thought he was just on one of his binges and didn't show up. He was a heavy drinker, that's why we were separated."

"How long has he been a drinker?" Bones asked.

"Almost the whole time we have been married. He started drinking right after we got married. He would go on these binges and not show up for days at a time. I always had to get babysitters at the last minute. "Look I have a meeting to go to, if you need more information, you can come to the house tonight. Here's my address. Will someone contact me about making arrangements?"

Booth was shocked at her reaction. "Ok, I'll keep in touch. Wait one more question."

"Yes?"

"What type of car do you drive?"

"A 2011 Honda Insight."

Bones interrupted, "Is it new?"

"Yes, I bought it last month."

"What did you drive before?"

"I traded in my 2009 Honda Accord. Why?"

"We were just curious."

"Well, now I'm late. I have to go. Good-bye"

"Thank-you. Goodbye."

She walked them to the door.

They went back to the car, and Booth was still shocked.

"Wow, what type of reaction was that? Talk about being cold. I don't think I have ever seen a reaction like that."

"Booth, maybe she's in shock, she'll probably realize it later."

"No, Bones that was strange."

They drove back to the lab, and Booth asked, "Do you want to go to the Diner for some lunch? I want to talk to you."

"Not now Booth, I need to do something at the lab. I'm still trying to determine cause of death."

"I thought he was hit by a car?"

He was, but we hadn't determined if that was what killed him."

Booth dropped her off at the lab, and went to look into any information he could find about the McCarthy family.

"Cam, did you do a tox screen on the victim?"

"Yes, it was negative for all substances."

"Could he have been an alcoholic?"

"No, the liver was clean; if he drank it was rarely."

A short while later, Cam came into the office. "I think I know cause of death."

"Oh, what was it."

"He bled out. All the tissue that was left when we found him was almost drained of blood, but if it did happen, it was slow. Whoever killed him left him to bleed to death, probably over a days time."

Brennan thought about the evidence that they had collected over the past few days. She determined that someone hit the victim with a car then left him until he bleed out and died, then once he was dead, they threw the victim in the dump. As she was dialing Booth, she heard his phone ring. She looked up and he was standing at the door of her office watching her.

"What are you doing there? Were watching me?"

"No, I just showed up as you called. What did you want?"

"We have cause of death. He bled out. Whoever hit him with the car, left him to bleed to death before disposing of the body. He also had no trace of alcohol in his system and he probably never drank."

"I was on my way over to see the wife, do you want to come."

"Yes, let me grab my coat."

They went to Mrs. McCarthy's house.

"Hello again, I just got home. Come in, but do me a favor I haven't told the children yet, so please be careful about what you say."

"Are you telling me you stayed the whole day at work after hearing that your husband was killed?"

"Yes, I knew it would be harder to come home to an empty house, so I stayed at work. I can't believe this happened. Do you have any idea what happened to him?"

"He was hit by a car, left to bleed to death, and then his body was thrown into a dump." Bones said.

Booth poked her, and whispered, "Could've said it a little nicer."

Bones whispered to Booth, "It's her Booth, I know it is."

"Excuse me a minute."

He walked to the side to talk to Bones. "What are you talking about? Did you find more evidence after I left?"

"No, my gut told me."

"You don't go by gut. What are you talking about?"

"I'll tell you later. Let's get this done."

They went back to the wife.

"Mrs. McCarthy we didn't find any alcohol in his blood at time of death." Bones said.

"He told me he was going to quit. He wanted to get the marriage back together. Maybe he was trying. She started to cry."

"Do you mind if we talk to the children?" Booth asked.

She became very agitated, "Yes, I do mind. My children haven't even been told at this point and I don't want some cop telling them. I would like to be alone now, can you please leave?"

"Yes, but we would like to possibly come back another time."

"You can come back if you need to, but just not tonight."

"OK, thank-you." They left.

When they got to the car, Booth asked. "What are you doing? I lead the investigation you follow. What are you talking about your gut told you? You don't do gut, you do facts."

"I just know it was her, call Caroline and get a warrant to search the house." I think she has the head."

"Bones I can't get a warrant because you think she has the head." He was yelling. "Caroline is going to need more information than that."

"You are not concentrating on this case, what is wrong with you? You seem so distracted all the time, and you're letting the suspect slip out of our hands."

"Bones it's through our fingers and it's not that I'm not concentrating, I'm just still trying to adjust."

"Oh, sorry Booth I forgot about Hannah. Why don't you bring me back to the lab?"

"Don't you want some dinner first? We can go to the diner and I'll let you steal my fries."

She just shook her head, "No Booth, please take me to the lab, so I can get my car and go home."

He dropped her off in the parking lot, and she left.


	8. Confession

**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine.**

Confession

Bones knew he was hurting, but she also knew he needed time to sort out his feelings. She went home and turned on the television. There was a documentary on that she wanted to see. The show ended, and just as she was ready to go to bed, someone knocked on the door. She knew it was him. Should she answer it? Did she want to see him tonight? She felt very melancholy right now, and she didn't know if she wanted him to see. She opened the door.

"Hello Booth."

"Hi, Bones, I brought us Thai." He shook some bags at her.

"Ok, come in."

Booth came into the apartment and sat down in front of the television. "What are you watching? The games on, gotta watch the game Bones." He changed the channel, then handed her a plate.

"Don't tell me you're not hungry, I know you didn't eat all day."

"How do you know that?"

"I know; it's in my gut." He gave her that crooked smile of his.

She gave in; she never could resist him for long. "Ok Booth what do you want? I know you're here for a reason."

"No reason, except trying to get you to eat."

Bones began to eat. They watched the game in silence for a while, while they ate.

"Bones I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Us."

"Us? There is no us, you just broke up with Hannah."

"No, I mean our relationship and what it could be in the future." She went to protest, but he placed his finger on her lips. She felt a shock go through her.

"Bones, I remembered what I said that night, I'm sorry. I was drunk and feeling sorry for myself and I took it out on you. I can't believe you stayed with me. I would have walked away. I was so cruel to you. You have always been there for me and I just pushed you aside. I'm so sorry." He had tears in his eyes when she looked up at him.

"Booth I understand, you loved Hannah, and she refused your proposal, you were very upset."

"No, that's no excuse. I was wrong. I'm sorry, do you forgive me?"

"Yes, Booth I forgive you."

He took her hands in his; Bones look at me. "I don't want to be just partners, I want more. I want to find out what this is between us. I know I said this before, and I may not have worded it right back then, but let me try again. I love you Bones, it's always been you, I think Sweets was right that I can't form any real relationships because I need to be with you. I forced myself away from you and tried to be with Hannah, but I never loved her as I love you. This is different. This is real. Look I just want you to think about it. I am not ready for any relationship yet, but I wanted you to know how I feel. I will wait for you to decide what you want to do. I know I didn't give you enough time before, so this time I'm going to wait as long as it takes."

Bones started to cry. "What you said hurt me so bad, but I couldn't leave you. I felt that I should have accepted you a year ago, and because I didn't you went to Hannah, and now your hurt."

"No Bones, I rushed you into it, you needed time to understand our feelings for each other, but I wanted an answer right away, and that is why you couldn't accept me. That night, you said that you don't have an open heart. Bones that is not true. You have a heart that is open and loving. I've seen it. I know. Bones you do so much for others, remember when you helped Amy when Hailey was sick, that was from your heart; that is the type of thing I'm talking about Bones. How you will always help others, your Dad and Russ on Christmas, the mother of that little girl with that growth disease who killed her child, you gave her that rock to show how you understood what she did, and Angela's pig."

"Bones don't you see all the things you do for others shows that your heart is open and loving. I see it every day you just need to realize that it's true. Look I'm going to go. I've said enough, but think about what I told you tonight, and realize that I will wait this time. We can take it as slow as you want, because I need time to. We can help each other as we work this out. Just think about it, please?"

"Yes, Booth I will."

Booth stood up and pulled her into his arms, he held her for a moment before, kissing the top of her head. Then he left.

Bones sat on the couch in shock. She didn't know what to think. He wanted to try again? He wanted to wait? She knew she wanted to try this, but was scared of the way he made her feel. When he held her before he left, her heart felt like it would stop. Was that love? She thought about the things that he said. She remembered helping the people she cared about, but didn't think it was that big a deal. She was emotionally exhausted and needed to go to bed. She knew she would have a hard time sleeping, so she took a long, hot bath, before climbing into bed. When she finally fell asleep, she had strange dreams of him. In them he was always at a distance, calling her, but never came close enough for her to reach.


	9. The Resolution in the Confession

**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine.**

The Resolution in the Confession

She woke early and went to work.

"Bones, we found the car. I think we got her, they found fingerprints. Come on lets go."

Bones grabbed her coat and followed him out. Neither of them talked about last night, but the old camaraderie had returned. They joked and fell into an easy way of talking again.

"Bones, I think you're right, I think she did it, but we still don't have any proof. We need something to tie her to the car, or in some way to the victim. The FBI will call as soon as they match the prints. His phone rang.

"Booth, yeah, ok, will do. Bye"

"Was that the crime lab?"

"Yes, we have a definite match from her on the car. Caroline said we will have our warrant in an hour."

"Let's go get us a bad guy."

He turned the car around and went to the house. They searched the house and the garage. Bones found traces of blood on the floor and took samples for DNA testing. They searched the whole house and didn't find the head. However, the blood was enough evidence to take her in for questioning.

Booth placed her hands behind her back, handcuffed her, and read her, her rights. "Jennifer McCarthy you are under arrest for the murder of your husband, Mark McCarthy. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?

"Yes"

When they got her into the interrogation room, she fell apart. She told them that one night they were out and she was drunk. He didn't want her to drive, but she took the keys from him. He refused to get in the car with her, and tried to block her from leaving. She became enraged and backed the car down the street, and hit him with it. He flew into the air, and his head became wedged in the windshield. She went home and parked the car in the garage. When she woke the next morning, he was dead.

"I didn't know what to do. I knew if I took him to the hospital, they would arrest me. Therefore, I waited for him to die, and brought the body to the dump. I hid it so well I didn't think they'd find it. He was a nobody; no one even noticed he was gone."

"When we found the body, the head wasn't attached, do you know what happened?"

"Yes, when I went to pull his body from the windshield of the car his head came off. I was so angry at him for making me do this, that I threw it over the embankment on the entrance ramp of the highway near my house."

Booth just shook his head and walked out of the room with Bones right behind. "I'll send a team to go look for the head, but with the confession, she's going away for a long time."

"How could she do that?" Bones asked him.

"I don't know Bones; this is one I never heard before. Can you imagine driving home with him stuck in the window? I'm surprised no one saw her."

"Cam said his vocal cords were probably cut when he went through the windshield, so he couldn't talk or yell. With all the broken bones he had, he couldn't get himself out. That's a horrible way to die."

Sweets had watched the whole confession. He met them outside. "She may go for insanity on this. I can't imagine a sane person doing that to another human being."

"I hope she doesn't get it. If she waited for him to die, right in her own garage, I can't imagine how insane that would make her." Booth said.

"Bones, what should we do about the kids?"

"I wonder? Want to take a ride?"

"Yeah, but where?"

"You'll see. Come on."

As Bones drove into Virginia, Booth knew what she was thinking. As he followed her to the familiar door, he hoped for her sake, it would work out.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, may we come in?"

"Yes, do you have more questions for us?"

"Well we do have a question, but it's more like a request."

They told them about how Mark's children now had no parents, and no living relatives.

"I have to tell you that I am from a foster care system that failed me. I was abused and mistreated, but having met you, I know that you are both the exception to the rule. Do you think it would be possible to take Mark's children into your home? I know they are young, and it may be difficult, but I would feel better if they were here."

Mrs. Johnson began to cry. "I would be so proud to raise his children. We always loved Mark as if he was our own, but the system may not allow them to cross State lines."

Booth spoke up. "I'm with the FBI, I can make anything happen."

Later that day, they again knocked upon the familiar door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, May we come in? I would like you to meet Amy and James McCarthy." Two young faces looked out from behind Bones. They stayed for lunch and helped the children settle into their new environment.

"Well, Bones I think it's time to go."

Mrs. Johnson hugged Temperance and whispered, "Dear thank-you so much, you have given us the greatest gift anyone could ever give us, and by the way you better hold onto that young man. He looks at you the way my husband looks at me, nothing could ever hide that type of love."

When they got back into the car, Booth asked, "Bones what did she say to you?"

"Just that she was happy." Bones smiled at the rest of the conversation that she knew she would probably never tell him.

They stopped at Booth's office to finish the paperwork. As they were leaving, Sweets walked by.

"Bones want to go out for dinner?"

Sweets said, "Can I come?"

Booth said, "No, I still need to deal with you and your shitty advice. This is just for Bones." He put his arm around her and led her away.

"One day at a time Bones ok? Just one day at a time."

"Sounds good to me. Let's go eat, I'm starving."

They walked away leaving Sweets standing there looking at them. As they rounded the corner, he took her hand in his.


End file.
